Twitch Is Now Blocked in China

After seeing a flurry of downloads due to the recent Asian Games esports competition, the Chinese government has banned the online broadcaster.

It seems that Twitch is now blocked in China. The popular streaming site that has played host to countless games over the years has finally run afoul of China’s internet policy, becoming blocked to the country earlier this week.

Last month saw Twitch skyrocket to the number three spot among free apps in China, after fans of esports flocked to download and watch the Asian Games esports competition. CCTV, the state-run broadcaster for China, opted not to air the competition, leading fans to search out alternative viewing methods.

This latest censorship by the Chinese government’s pattern of banning Western media platforms that grow in popularity, even without anything controversial happening. Many hold fears for Valve’s digital game store Steam, as it struggles to conform to regulations while also competing with native platforms such as Tencent’s WeGame.

The rise and fall of Twitch in China will likely not feature in the history books, however fans of the streaming service will have to settle for native sites such as Huya for now. For now, fans are congregating on sites such as Weibo to confirm whether they still have access to the site, though it looks like access is slipping slowly over time.